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Minister Raitt Advises Caution During Winter, the Spike Season for Injuries and Fatalities in the WorkplaceOTTAWA, ONTARIO, Feb 11, 2013 (Marketwire via COMTEX) -- The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Canada's Labour Minister, spoke today with members of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) to discuss health and safety in the workplace. "The Government of Canada is committed to helping workers prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace. Everyone deserves to return home safely at the end of their workday," said Minister Raitt to the participants gathered at the 42nd OSWCA Annual Conference in Ottawa. "We depend on the skills of our workers to increase our country's productivity and economic competitiveness. Let's keep that workforce strong and healthy." The latest figures compiled by the Labour Program show that in some industries under federal jurisdiction, the number of injuries and fatalities in the workplace show significant spikes in January, February and March "Each year at this time, we at the Labour Program are informed of workers losing their lives in workplace accidents because of winter conditions," added Minister Raitt. "Employers and employees must take all possible measures to protect themselves, particularly during the winter season. We need to work together to understand workplace hazards, identify potential dangers and find solutions to issues that threaten our health and safety." The OSWCA has been representing sewer and watermain construction contractors across the province for more than 35 years, and currently serves over 700 companies. This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Follow us on Twitter FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Ashley Kelahear Press Secretary Office of Minister Raitt 819-953-5646 Media Relations Office Human Resources and Skills Development Canada 819-994-5559 SOURCE: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada |